Ambassador Update
Jana Mashonee

 

 

 

With long, audacious strides offstage and an ear to ear smile shining on her face, it’s hard to decide if Jana Mashonee looks more princess or pop idol. she carries herself regally and proudly, but clad in a black, studded leather dress and high heels, she is a royal rock star. Most shocking of all is her obvious inner and outer composure; after ninety minutes of singing and dancing her heart out, one would expect complete and total exhaustion. Not Jana – she has barely stepped off the stage and is already eager to go meet her fans.

She sits at a table and, despite the heavy security hovering around her, clearly disarms each fan that approaches with her warmth and sense of humor. some fans laugh as she high-fives them. some cry with joy as she hugs them and snaps a photo. some can barely bring themselves to speak and walk away staring at their autographed photo in a daze.

When I ask Jana later about her live performances for which she is so well known, she’s excited to tell me about the growth of her show to its current state. “in the beginning,” she explains, “it was just me and two dancers in clubs in new york city. it was dark, it was sweaty, it was a little scary, but it was awesome.” it’s a stretch for me to imagine the epic performance she has just put on tonight in this huge concert hall transposed to such a setting. with an eight-piece band plus two traditional native American hoop dancers in full regalia, and including Jana herself playing piano on some songs, Jana’s shows have clearly grown with her success. “it’s been an evolution over time,” she explains, “but a necessary one.”

After completing her upcoming album, New Moon Born, Jana knew that the only way to bring her fresh material to the stage was with a full band that could convey the energy of the songs. she’ll be touring the u.s. and Canada non-stop through this year and next, with two guitars, keyboards, background singers, the works.

New Moon Born is an achievement in and of itself. it’s Jana’s first mainstream record and it beautifully showcases her piano skills, songwriting, and, of course, her powerful, haunting vocals. the album was produced by Stephan Galfas, internationally renowned for his work with artists like cher, Meat Loaf, and Kool & the Gang.the album kicks off with the lead single, a heart wrenching cover of Sam Cooke’s classic, “A Change is Gonna Come.”

To put the perfect finishing touches on the song, Jana brought in Juno-award winning musician Derek Miller to play guitar on “A Change is Gonna Come,” including a blistering solo that would impress even the most critical virtuoso. “I knew I had to have Derek,” she laughs. “He’s an old friend and he has the most unique, emotive blues style. He flew in from Canada in the morning, recorded the solo that afternoon, and we went out for Japanese food that night. He’s unbelievable.”

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